Means and method for producing



Nov. 13, 1956 .1. 1.. MORRIS 2,770,115

MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Filed Jan. 21, 1955 v INVENTOR. JOSEPH L- MORRIS United States Patent MEANS AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING KNITTED FABRICS Joseph L. Morris, Elmhurst, N. Y.

Application January 21, 1955, Serial No. 483,342

2 Claims. (Cl. 66-119) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in needles for and methods of producing knitted fabrics composed of elliptical crossed loops.

More particularly, the present invention proposes the construction of a new type needle and new method of knitting whereby variations of loops can be produced in knitting.

As a further object, the present invention proposes forming the needle with a shank that terminates in a knitting hook having a beard or extension which extends across a side of the shank beyond the back or rear of the needle and then is bent toward the back or rear of the needle to terminate in a spring beard tip at the back or rear of the needle while the knitting hook is in the front of the needle.

Still further, the present invention proposes forming a needle which will function along the lines of the well known spring beard needle with the exception that the new needle will produce elliptical crossed loops where one end of a knitted loop crosses either over or under the other end of the loop depending on which side of the shank the beard is bent across.

Another object proposes constructing the needle so that the beard may be bent across either the left or right side of the shank and so that both types may be used at the same time and in combination with standard spring beard needles.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a needle constructed and arranged in accordance with the present invention, part of the shank being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the structure shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the start of the formation of a knitted elliptical crossed loop.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a later step in the knitting operation.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 4 and 5 but showing a later step.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Figs. 4, 5 and 6 but showing a further and later step.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 but showing a still later step in the knitting operation.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of a plurality of left hand loops formed by the needle and knitting method of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 but showing a plurality of right hand loops.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the knitting needle of the present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 15.

ice

Needle 15 has front, rear, and left and right side portions 16, 17, 18 and 19 respectively. The needle 15 also has a shank or shank portion 20 with a tapered portion 21 at one end which terminates in a bend and hook 22. The shank 20 is adapted to be reciprocated in a knitting machine needle bed slot (not shown) or is carried by the machines needle bar (not shown). The shank or shank portion 21 is so bent at one end (in the drawing the upper end) that the hook, crook or bend 22 is disposed at the front of the needle.

The bend or hook 22 has a beard or beard extension 23 extending from the hook toward the shank (in the drawing, downwardly) and across one side of the shank or shank portion 21 at point or position 24. The beard or beard extension 23 continues across the shank or shank portion 21 at 24 and beyond the back or rear of the needle and terminates in a spring beard tip 25. This tip 25 is bent toward and disposed adjacent the rear of the needle or shank of the needle, the beard or heard extension 23 containing a bend or curve 26.

A recess or elongated slot 27 is provided in the needle at the rear or back of the needle removably to receive the spring tip 25. The spring tip 25 is disposed adjacent to and centered with the recess or slot 27 at the rear of the needle. The recess or slot 27 receives the spring tip 25 at certain times during the knitting cycle when the tip is pressed in the recess or slot 27 by any of the well known means.

When the beard or heard extension 23 is bent or otherwise formed across point or position 24 of the shank or shank portion 21, ample room isprovided for yarn loops to pass and this is done by bending or otherwise forming the beard or heard extension 23 away from the shank or shank extension a predetermined distance 28 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The hook 22 is bent or otherwise formed bent toward the front of the needle.

Likewise, the bend or curve 26 in the heard or beard extension is disposed a predetermined distance 29 from the rear or back of the shank, shank portion, or needle as shown in Fig. 1.

Yarn is fed to the needle 15 at the back or rear 17 by any of the well known machines or methods used to feed and measure yarn on standard spring needles. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the new needle 15 is a modification of a standard spring needle and that it is adapted for use with any thread or yarn, from natural or artificial sources.

The new method of knitting elliptical crossed loops is disclosed in Figs. 4 through 10. In Fig. 4, an old or already formed yarn loop 30 is to be cast over a new yarn loop 31. Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 show how the new loop 31 is formed and the end of yarn 32 crossed over the top of the completed elliptical crossed loop 33 shown in Fig. 8.

in Fig. 4, yarn measuring sinkers (not shown) feed yarn 32 at 34. The spring beard tip 25 is open (i. e., away from and out of the recess or slot 27) to receive new yarn and the needle has moved in the direction of the directional arrow (upwardly as shown in the drawing). The needle 15 is in the high position to clear the old loop 30 below the spring tip 25.

In Fig. 5, the needle 15 moves in the direction of the directional arrow (downwardly as shown in the drawing) and spring beard pressers (not shown) press the beard at 35 to force the tip of the beard to move into the needle recess or slot 27 in order to pass through the old loop 30 that is to be cast off. The new loop 31 is inside the spring beard at point 36.

In Fig. 6, the needle moves further in the direction of the directional arrow (downwardly as shown in the drawing) and one end 32 of the new loop 31 is on the outside of the beard while the other end 37 is through the hook 22 and both ends of the new loop 31 are on one side of the needle 15 at 38 and 39. As the needle continues its movement, the yarn end 32 flips over the top of the hook 22 to cause this end to cross over yarn end 37 as seen in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 7, the new loop 31 is crossed at 32 over 37 and the old loop 30 is ready to be immediately cast ofi over the new loop 31 as shown in Fig. 8. V a V In Fig. 8, the old loop 30 has been cast ofi over the new elliptical crossed loop. In Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 the needle moves in the direction indicated by the directional arrows. The next movement of the needle is in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 4 which will cause the elliptical crossed loop shown in Fig. 8 to go into the position occupied by the old loop 30 in Fig. 4 so as to clear the loop below the spring beard tip. The sequence is then repeated. In Fig. 9, there is shown a number of elliptical crossed loops forming a piece of fabric 40 where loops 42, 43, 44 and 45 are left hand loops. These loops are formed by a needle 15 where the beard is bent across the left side of the shank.

In Fig. 10, there is shown a number of elliptical crossed loops forming a piece of fabric 46 where loops 47 and 48 are right hand loops. Loops 47 and 48 are formed by a needle 15 having the beard bent across the right side of the needle shank.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent 1. A spring beard knitting needle comprising a needle with front, rear and right and left side portions and a shank with an elongated tapered portion at one end terminating in a bend and hook with a spring beard, said beard having a spring tip, said tapered portion having a recess at the rear thereof adapted removably to receive said spring tip, said hook being at the front of the needle and said beard extending from the hook toward the shank and across the left side of the tapered portion and spaced from said side and from the rear of the needle, said spring tip being disposed adjacent to and centered with the recess at the rear of the needle, said beard being spaced a predetermined distance from said side and a predetermined distance from the rear of the needle, said predetermined distances being those sufiicient for yarn to pass between the beard and said side and rear of the needle, said recess being an elongated slot.

2. The method of knitting with a knitting needle having a shank having at one end a knitting hook, a beard extension on said hook extending across one side of the shank and beyond the rear of the shank and bent toward the rear of the shank terminating in a spring beard tip at the rear of the shank, said knitting hook being disposed at the front of the needle, which consists of clearing an already formed old loop onto the needle shank below the spring tip by moving the needle in one direction, feeding new thread into the spring tip and closing the spring tip to pass through said old loop by moving the needle in the opposite direction, flipping one end of the new thread over the outside top of the hook by continued movement of the needle in said opposite direction and holding the other end of the new thread inside said hook to form an elliptical crossed loop, and casting the said old loop off over the said elliptical crossed loop by further continued movement of the needle in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 1,121 Great Britain of 1889 

